The god shot seems to be the incentive for many baristas, after all it is only very rarely successful and the demand increases after each god shot.

God Shot – espresso pleasure par excellence

godshot? Many will now say that they have never heard it. Thanks to the translation into German, some might be able to rhyme together that it must be an extremely rare, extremely good coffee. If you delve a little deeper into the barista matter of espresso and co., you will hear the term more often, after all it drives many baristas every day. A god shot surrounds the aura of the unattainable and once you have succeeded, you push your expectations even higher. But what exactly does that mean? The God Shot describes the ultimate espresso:
An espresso so good, God could have made it himself.
You can read about it in various places on the internet. Thus, the God Shot represents the quest for the holy grail of the espresso drinker.

God Shot or the torment of increasing demands

Mark Prince, author, blogger and coffee connoisseur, claims to have enjoyed no more than 30-40 god shots after several thousand good espresso shots. A god shot is something so unique that every single one is remembered. The problem is – similar to the search for the perfect wave when surfing, for example – the ever-increasing demands. Once you’ve enjoyed a perfect god shot, you’ll go on looking for a better one.
Another problem is that terms that describe something great are overused and lose their greatness. Espresso beginners will already call their first very good espresso a god shot. Experienced baristas can only laugh mildly at something like this, after all, every coffee connoisseur has gone this way. The demand increases with experience, so that after a few years the god shot at the beginning of your career has to be demoted to a successful espresso at best.

Characteristics of a God Shot

Baristas agree on one thing, a god shot is always a double ristretto, after all this can be described as the pure essence of the coffee bean in a tasty form. The production of a ristretto is already challenging and requires a lot of experience and sensitivity. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) there is no one-size-fits-all recipe for making a god shot.
Experts recognize a god shot as soon as it drips out of the portafilter. The color should be dark to rust red with subtle tiger stripes. In addition, the espresso is mixed with a perfect crema from start to finish. As soon as the espresso has settled, it turns dark black. At the first smell, intensive aromas rise, which intensify when stirred. In terms of taste, the God Shot is the perfect balance between mild bitter notes and sweet nuances. The harmonious composition of bitter, sweet, sour and spicy unfolds on the tongue.